What to Know
- The memories of the fictional home where “The Jeffersons” lived the American Dream have faded, and the building where it took place has too
- Park Lane Towers were the pinnacle of the good life when the show hit the air in 1975, but residents are fed up with constant construction
- As work continues on the outside, dust get everywhere inside homes — making it hard to see; some terraces have been inaccessible for years
It may have been home to a “deluxe apartment in the sky” for George and Weezy, but years of ongoing construction have made residents lean toward moving out rather than movin’ on up at a famous Upper East Side building.
The memories of the fictional home where “The Jeffersons” lived the American Dream have faded, and the building where it took place has too. Whereas the Park Lane Towers were the pinnacle of the good life when the show hit the air in 1975, fast forward nearly 45 years and residents of the building are getting fed up with constant construction at the high-rise on East 85 Street and Third Avenue.
A resident who has lived in the building for more than three decades says it’s not even just the noise from all the work being done, it’s how it has been affecting her health. “Concerned about my eyes because – because your eyes are burning and you’re coughing when they work outside your apartment,” said Orli, who didn’t want to give her last name. “Either they’re not covering your windows at all or they’re not doing it properly.”
Another resident, Genie Wing, echoed Orli’s complaints about the dust getting everywhere as a result. “My apartment is loaded with dust, and I’m constantly cleaning up, this stuff is getting in.”
Orli said she hasn’t been able to go onto her terrace for “at least three years” due to all the construction. Other neighbors said they’ve been told the work is expected to last another two years, which is why some in the building are organizing a rent strike. Members of the Tenant Association are also reaching out to lawmakers and considering legal action against the landlord.
Charles Greenthal Management, which run the propery, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC New York.
